Category Archives: Consumers

Q2 GDP Growth Higher?

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs AtlantaFederalReserve The Atlanta Fed’s GDPnow graph perfectly illustrates how uncertain are predictions for second quarter economic growth. They go literally from negative growth to 2 percent plus! Why? Because though manufacturing sector growth has been negative for seven months, … Continue reading →

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Single-Family Construction Surging

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner I said last week that higher new home sales and rising homebuilders’ optimism foretell a strong summer sales season if builders and existing-home inventories don’t run out of housing stock. We are now seeing more single-family construction … Continue reading →

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No More Inflation?

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs FREDppifinaldemand The Federal Reserve has announced its first rate pause since it began to raise short term rates last year. But it threatened to raise rates twice more this year after a six week pause to study the … Continue reading →

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Homeowners Have Record Equity

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Meredith Whitney, a noted real estate consultant recently interviewed on CNBC’s Squawk Box, said American homeowners have a record amount of equity in their homes. The average Loan-to-Value (LTV) of mortgages has dropped to 30 percent, which … Continue reading →

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Building a ‘Livable’ Climate Change Coalition

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

CHAPTER ELEVEN Old Town’s Revival Chapter Eleven is an excerpt from my memoir that discusses tools needed to form a community consensus. Our effort was dedicated to redevelopment of Old Town Goleta, prior to forming the new City of Goleta. … Continue reading →

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Inflation or Deflation Next Year?

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs FREDpersonalconsumption The Fed’s favored personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE) has been on a sharp downward trend since June 2022 when it reached its 7 percent inflation high. Both its overall headline indicator (blue line) and core index … Continue reading →

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Debt Ceiling Deal Preserves New Deal

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs FREDusdebt President Biden said it best concerning the agreement to raise the national debt ceiling for two years, when asked at the G-7 summit if it could cause a recession. “I know it won’t…Matter of fact, the fact … Continue reading →

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U.S. Economic Life Signs Improve

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly FREDpceindex After a sputtering start, it looks like the U.S. economy is picking up steam. First Quarter GDP growth was revised upward from 1.1 to 1.3 percent in the BEA’s second estimate yesterday. And the Personal Consumption … Continue reading →

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This Recovery Another ‘Roaring Twenties’?

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs AtlantaFed.org I wonder if our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic could repeat the ‘Roaring Twenties’ jazz era of F Scott Fitzgerald. Why not? There are some surprising similarities. The Roaring Twenties were named for the era that followed … Continue reading →

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Existing-Home Sales Still in Decline

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner I said last week that higher new home sales and rising homebuilders’ optimism foretell a strong summer sales season if builders and existing-home inventories don’t run out of housing stock. The problem is not enough existing homes … Continue reading →

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